Previously, in Exit Stage Fight ...

Marjie quickly becomes the Spider’s favorite, as Marjie is one of the few people in this world, along with Glasstaff and the Spider, who willingly harm children. They’re pretty much the same person!

(To Ava and Lorvyl’s horror, Marjie doesn’t seem to mind that much either … )

The Spider gives the party a choice: side with the Spider and his mysterious patron, unlocking immeasurable power in the process … or just fight it out like a couple of chumps.

He even offers to resurrect somebody using nine of his accumulated souls. With his newly created backstory in hand, Lorvyl immediately asks to resurrect his mother. Ava feels remorse as a minor action and wonders aloud if they should bring back Halia.

After a brief huddle (“GO TEAM!!”) the party decides to tell the Spider to resurrect whatever’s on the altar. The Spider’s like, “wow, really? okay!!” and begins to make an oath to something called Eldanoth, the Bloodless Scion. Ava immediately shoots a Ray of Frost at him. No one should be surprised by this.

After a brief scuffle, Lorvyl Flurry of Blows the Spider into a, um, spider, which knocks over the thing on the altar. A body of a female drow child rolls on the floor. Lorvyl asks Ava and Marjie if they have feels. Ava confirms that, yes, she has feels.

BUTTHAT DOESN’T MAKETHEBLACKSPIDERRIGHTANDTHEBATTLEMUSIC IS STILLPLAYING SO LET’S KILLSOMEBLACKSPIDERSRIGHTNOWYAHHHHHHHHH also Vyerith runs out with the kid and the portal closes behind her uh oh.

While the party is figuring out how to get out of the room, Eldanoth appears to claim the Black Spider’s soul. He offers lovely trinkets to the party, such as a book that lets them have anything they want (in exchange for weird favors), but the party’s not having it.

After Eldanoth goes toodle-ooh, and Marjie wonders “WHYARETHEVILLAINS SO WEIRD??”, which is fair, the party climbs up the pillar with a soulless Black Spider, and finds themselves near a drow throne room.

Ava casts Invisibility and sneaks in. Lorvyl meditates and finds a cool magic item in his head. Marjie wears her new stunna shades.

Turns out the king is Nezznar, son of Nezzne, who just so happens to have gone missing a little while ago. Ava casts Friends on him, so this isn’t quite as awkward as it could otherwise be.

One thing leads to another and suddenly Exit Stage Fight is in front of Nezznar and Griza, his queen consort, performing like they’re at just another tavern or something. The performance is extra Inspirational, and Nezznar hires the group on the spot, sending them off to very plush quarters.

As for Nezzna, the Black Spider … he’s still in the closet. Soulless. And technically not dead. But still in a very, very bad place.